Improved air-engine



3 SheetsSheet 2.

J. J. E. LENOIR.

AIR ENGINE.

No. 31,722.. Patented Mar. 19, 1861.

w w W 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 No. 31,722 Patented Mar. 19, 1861.

2 ,1 A if Waawaw THE mums PETERS cu, noTc-umon WASNYNGYON. 12.,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEAN JOSEPH ETIENNE LENOIR, 0F PARIS, FRANCE.

IMPROVED AIR-ENGINE.

Specification forming part at Letters Patent No. 3!,722, lllivd March 15!, lrlil.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, J EAN JOSEPH ETIENNE LENOIR, of Paris, in the Empire of France, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hot-Air Engines; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This my invention relates to-engines,whether stationary or locomotive, in which the motive power is air dilated or expanded or heated by the combustion of an imflammable gas; and it consists in or is based upon two fundamental principles which constitute the characteristic features of my discovery or invention, viz., first, the application of the combination or mixture with atmospheric air of lighting-gas or any other inflammable gas; second, the simultaneous action of both in a machine or engine deriving its elements of function fromelectricity and operating substantially in the manner of the ordinary steam-engine. From these statements it will appear that although I employ gas and air'in the proportions of about eighty-five per cent. of the latter to fifteen per cent. (which, by the way, is a maximum) of the former, this my engine'cannot be classed among gas-engines. Indeed, the functions of the gas Iemploy do not consist in detonating or exploding it, thereby impelling the piston, as this has heretofore been done or suggested, but in the use of the gas as a fuel that can be instantaneously and regularly ignited, and without producing any shock, for the purpose of heating the air. that is mixed with it. The air thus dilated or expanded will act. on the piston in the same manner as steam would in ordinary steam-engines.

The cylinder, according to my invention, is made to act alternately as the generator of the motive power and as the recipient thereof, the elastic fluid acting with high pressure and expansively, according to the length of the cylinder. The products or residue of the combustion escape at. regular intervals at each stroke of the piston, so that when in operation the engine has the appearance of a steam-engine, while in reality it is an engine working with dilated or hot air.

Engines constructed and operating according to my invention are easilyregulated by applying the means-of regulation or of adjustment upon either of the three component elements-22 0., either upon the admission of air, or upon the flow of gas, or upon the apparatus generating electricity.-

Instead of lighting-gas, the liquid hydrocarbons may be used by reducing the same into vapor, also pure hydrogen gas, sulphurons gas, the inflammable vapors or gases produced by the heating of the essence of boghead, gaziue tar, or other hydrocarbon, or of the mixture of said substances.

To enable others to make and use this my invention, I shall now proceed to describe in detail an engine constructed according to the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal elevation of the engine complete; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same, the cylinder-being shown in section. Fig. 3 shows a transverse section of the a cylinder.

duct the air and gas toward each side of the piston, while the nozzles b b b", acting in a similar manner, serve the purpose of exhaust or emission of the products of combustion. The slide-valve T serves for the introduction of the mixtnreof air and gas, and is provided with an orifice, t, communicating with either of the apertures 0 o in the plate P. This plate is armed with two cocks, r1", admitting of the passage of gas. The introduction of atmospheric air takes place through the orifice a, communicating with the tube t, surmounted by a cap, b. uncovered-'---i. e. ,without a distributing-chestand they are guided by brackets c, bolted to the cylinder. The arrangement of these brackets is such as to allow of perfect adjustment of the surfaces, respectively, of the slide-valves and the valveseat by means of a regulatingscrew.

The cap 2 acts in some measure like a gasometer-'i. e., it holds the gas that would have The slide-valves work entirely a tendency to escape. The movement of the piston 11 is transmitted to the main drivingshaft 13 by means of a connecting-rod, c, attached to the crank .of the shaft. The two eccentrics D and D operate the slide-valves T and T, and a small pulley, E, imparts movement to a governor on the fiy-wheel V. A

-large pulley, F, transmits the power, and

suitable gearing mechanism complete the machinery appertaining to the engine proper.

The cylinder is provided at both of its extremities withthe igniting apparatus G G, which communicates with a suitable distributor of electricity, II, placed upon the main shaft. The distributor is connected with a Rhumkorfl apparatus that is supplied from a battery or other source of electricity.

Having thus described the details of machinery I use, I shall now proceed to describe the modusopertmdi. I start the machinery or engine by giving motion to the piston 1), thereby producing a vacuum behind the piston, which causes the air and gas to penetrate through the nozzles act; but inasmuch as the slide-valve T opens the orifice a before the apparatus is placed in communication with either of the openings 0 0', through which the gas is introduced, it is evident that a column of air shall have penetrated the cylinder. At this moment the valve T opens the orifices 0 o in the plate P, and gas as well as air will enter the cylinder, without, however, completely mixing with each other, but forming, as it were, veins or layers of both. The valve then closes the orifices of the cylinder, and the apparatus G,suddcnly emitting its electrical sparinignites the gas, heats the air and its combinations, and dilates it or them to produce the requisite pressure. The products of combustion will then escape through the channel I) by the-play of the valve T. The flywheel is now in condition to aid the piston in its return movement while the slide-valves T and T are shifted. Air and gas are thus introduced at the opposite end of the cylinder, and will be ignited by the second spark from the other apparatus, G, in the same manner as above described.

My object in introducing a column of air before admitting gas and air is to avoid intimate mixture, as it may happen that the carbonic-acid gas produced by the combustion of the first portion of the gas would prevent the remaining portion of the gas from being perfectly consumed. Gas not consumed can ren der no useful effect, whereas by allowing a column of air to penetrate in advance of the mixture will insure perfect combustion. As the engine works at a very high temperature, I introduce within the casing water, the quantity of which may be regulated by means of the cock Z, and heat it or convert it'into steam and convey it through. pipe 1 to any place I have use forit.

The electricity I derive from an apparatus shown in Fig. 4, consisting of a sleeve of hard rubber or gutta-peicha or other non-conductor, L, in which are embedded metallic segments M M. The segment M is putincolr *stant communication with the conductor of electricity N, and the segment'llI with the dis tributing-wire g 9, that are secured to the igniting apparatus G G. bars at m unite in contact the distributcr with the conductor. The cylinder carries one of the poles. It is therefore easy to watch the operation of the distributor.

In the opening allegation of this specification I have stated that I may use the liquid hydrocarbons as the caloric employed to heat and dilate the air and its combinations. To do this I proceed as follows: I place the sub stance from which I desire to obtain its gas or vapor in a boiler, in the bottom of which I arrange a jacket or worm, either of which I connect with the exhaust pipe of the engine. I thus heat the boiler, and as soon as inflammable vapors are produced I receive them in the cylinder. These vapors or gas act in the same manner as lighting-gas, having for effect the heating and dilating of the atmospheric air. I would observe that I reserve to myself the right to introduce atmospheric air alone at that part of the cylinder where pressure is to be exerted, and gas alone where it is to be ignited.

I would mention, in conclusion, that this my invention is applicable, with but slight modification, to all kinds or systems of engines in which steam has heretofore been used; also, that it may be applied to couplerengines with two or three cylinders, to boats, locomotives, traction and portable engines, & e.; also vertical, horizontal, or inclined cylinders.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim- The arrangementin an engine substantially as described, of the parts for the admission to the cylinder successively of air and inflammable vapor or gas in such requisite quantities and proportions as that the former shall act upon the piston by expansion on being heated by the ignition of the latter, as described, in combination with a device forigniting said vapor or gas by electricity at each end of the cylinder, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

ET. LENOIR.

Witnesses:

S. MIoHAUD,

G130. HUrTc-N.

The small metallic 

